MIZUHO AMERICAS OPEN

May 17, 2024

Ashleigh Buhai

Liberty National Golf Club

Quick Quotes

Q. All right, here with Ash Buhai after her second round at the Mizuho Americas Open. Had three birdies I see on the front nine. Added two more on the back. Overall how would you say your round was today?

ASHLEIGH BUHAI: Overall, you know, I'm happy with the way I played. Back nine was a little bit more adventurous but I hung in there.

Holed out for birdie from like 50 yards on 10, which was fun after hitting it in the rough off the tee. Then just a little disappointed at the same time. Missed like a four-footer on the last for par. You know, never fun to finish that way, but still very proud of the way I played the last two days and to be giving myself a chance on the weekend.

Q. Yesterday I know in your front nine you had like a ton of birdies. I think you had like maybe five or -- a four- or five-birdie streak. How much confidence did that give you heading into today knowing there were lots of birdie opportunities out there?

ASHLEIGH BUHAI: You know, it gave me a lot of confidence because we played the back nine first and I turned 1-over, and I had a little vent to my caddie which I don't normally do saying, I'm just frustrated. I'm hitting good shots. I had hit two drives that pitched in the fairway. Got bad bounces and end up in fairway bunkers on 17 and 18, which finished bogey, bogey.

I think it's what I needed. I regrouped and gave myself a lot of good chances. I had five birdies, four in a row, and could have had six or seven to be honest. Yeah, that gave me a lot of confidence because I haven't seen the ball go in the hole a lot lately.

And then following today I managed to follow it up.

Q. It's been kind of a mixed bag of results. Couple missed cuts and some really solid finishes. What have you found this year that's helped you play some solid golf?

ASHLEIGH BUHAI: Yeah, a little up and down. I feel even the weeks that I missed the cuts, my coach came out week of Chevron. We made a few minor tweaks. Terrible first round at Chevron but followed it up with a good under par and played well the next week.

I just feel it's just been little things. You know, something has been good one week and the others haven't been. He was out this week again and just is needed to fine tune. Same as last week. I hit a good -- I mean, it was one or two shots and I was in it for the weekend and had a chance.

You know, I feel it's been close; I just haven't quite been putting it all together.

Last week, too, my back just completely flared up in the cold weather. I'm getting a little old now. I just don't move very well anymore.

Q. What's it been like dealing with that injury? I know it's hard giving yourself grace. How have you been dealing with it and how are you feeling now?

ASHLEIGH BUHAI: Yeah, to be honest, this week I'm still kind of working through it. I've been a lot better. Yeah, Friday was very tough for me, early morning, cold last week.

But the fact that I wasn't feeling my best and still nearly gave myself a chance to play the weekend, I know that when I'm healthy and I put everything together, I have a chance to be in contention.

So, again, not 100% this week but my physio has been working very hard with me and getting me to at least move a little bit better.

Q. You said you're seeing the ball go in the hole. What's been the key for you with the flat stick this week on these greens?

ASHLEIGH BUHAI: Again, just marrying the speed and line. I still feel there is a lot of improvement to be made to be honest.

Again, three-putt on 11 and then a missed four-footer on 18. So soft mistakes, but then again, I bounced back and holed some really good putts to even it out.

I don't think I should look too into it. Yeah, just feel as long as I keep doing what I need to every day, hopefully it'll keep paying off.

Q. Weekend, what's the mindset?

ASHLEIGH BUHAI: Just same: Stick to my game plan. Don't try and chase. Don't watch the leaderboard. No, I just feel I need to get back into doing my job well at the golf ball and hopefully it'll take care of results and stop focusing so much on the results.